


Bridges

by Mira



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-01-23
Updated: 2006-01-23
Packaged: 2017-10-19 15:14:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/202254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mira/pseuds/Mira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Sheppard says you're a size queen."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bridges

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [Slodwick](http://slodwick.livejournal.com)’s 2006 "A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words" challenge at [Picfor1000](http://picfor1000.livejournal.com). Beta by my dearest darling the [Empress Wu](http://empress_wu.livejournal.com) and the [Princessofg](http://princessofg.livejournal.com).

"It's Star Trek, right?" Ronon asked, staring at the bridge.

"What? What about Star Trek?"

"Sheppard told me that this is where Starfleet Academy is, in Star Trek."

"It's a joke. A bad TV show. A movie. I know you had movies on Sateda; you showed me some of them." Rodney shuddered.

"Seriously, isn't this where the Academy is?"

"Seriously, are you insane? _It was a movie_." They stared at each other. "Okay, yes, actually, the Academy was supposed to be here. Happy? I can't believe it. I bring you to another world, to one of the most beautiful cities on that world, to the most beautiful spot in that city, and you're talking about a B movie."

"Huh." Ronon stared at the bridge, looking north into Marin County. "It's pretty."

"Yeah, well, yeah. It is." Rodney thought about sulking, but it was too beautiful a day. The breeze shoved at him, and the sound of the wind pushing over the golden grasses reminded him of the waves rolling into Atlantis at home. The air smelled sweet, of ocean and eucalyptus and pine, but alien after all his years away. "I always loved it here," he said to himself.

"I thought you were from another country?"

"Yes, Canada; it's about three thousand kilometres north of here."

"How far's a kilometre?"

"Ah. Hmm. It's a thousand metres, and a metre is about this far." Rodney stepped forward. "So that times --"

"A million," Ronon said, studying Rodney's feet. "That's a long way."

"Yes, it is. Big place, the States, but Canada is bigger."

"And bigger is better." Ronon grinned at Rodney. "Or so you tell me."

"Well, yes, I do happen --"

"Sheppard says you're a size queen."

Rodney was literally speechless for a moment, and felt his eyes pop wide in shock. "Sheppard said that?" he asked faintly.

Ronon prowled through the grasses toward Rodney, head lowered, eyes focused, a slight smile playing on his face. "Mm-hm."

"Size queen. Well, I suppose like most men I think, I mean, not that, ah. Ronon. Ronon."

Ronon stood very close to Rodney, who still had his legs spread illustrating a metre. "Sheppard says that on Earth, things are different. And that in San Francisco, things are very different."

"Yes, it is. H.L. Mencken said that in San Francisco he experienced the 'subtle but unmistakable sense of escape from the United States.' From most of Earth, I guess. It's a special place." He looked up at Ronon, standing so near that Rodney felt his breath against his face, the tickle of his beard against his cheek. He felt as though he'd been running up the hills of San Francisco, only to reach the top of the world.

"Yeah, I can see that," Ronon said.

They stood silently, until the wind gusted again and forced Rodney a step nearer to Ronon. "Oh," Rodney said, bumping against him. Ronon put his hands on Rodney's upper arms, holding him still despite the wind.

"Oh," Ronon said softly.

"Wow. You're tall."

Ronon raised his eyebrows. "On this world?"

"Uh, I guess not on Sateda?"

"Not particularly. Is that okay?"

"Okay? Yeah, tall is good."

"He's right. You are a size queen." He gently shook Rodney.

"Stop saying that. I'm not, not really. Sheppard's just, he's such a pain in the ass."

"Your ass?" Ronon asked, bending slightly so he could look Rodney straight in the eyes. Rodney felt a sudden need to step back, away from him, but refused to give into the impulse.

"No," he said, but the wind took away the word. "No," he said louder. "He, I. Ah, we haven't. You know."

"But you've thought about it."

Rodney wondered if he was getting a little too much sun; his face felt hot and dry. "Yeah, I've thought."

"And I know that Sheppard's thought about it," Ronon said, looking very seriously at Rodney. "He gave me an assignment."

Rodney felt like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a speeding car. His mouth opened to repeat "assignment?" but he couldn't speak.

Ronon bent closer, gripping his arms even more tightly, so that Rodney was pressed against Ronon's body. "What?" Rodney breathed.

"You told me you're a genius. You can't figure it out?"

"I'm, you might have noticed that I'm not so good at personal interactions," Rodney admitted. "It's all voodoo."

Ronon straightened up and released Rodney, who staggered at the loss of support. "Voodoo?"

"Magic. Sorcery."

"Your science isn't sorcery?"

"No, of course not! Don't -- are you teasing me?" He reached out and grabbed Ronon. "You're teasing me."

"Maybe." Ronon gently pulled Rodney even closer, and rested his cheek against the top of Rodney's head. "Is this all right?"

"Yes, God, yes," Rodney whispered. "Please, if you're trying to, ah, Ronon, please."

Ronon lifted his head again and looked at Rodney, who, grabbing onto Ronon's shoulder's, lifted himself onto his toes. He stared at Ronon's mouth. Ronon's lips were slightly parted, and as Rodney watched, he licked them. Reluctantly, he raised his eyes to meet Ronon's, who was staring back just as intently. "What did Sheppard assign you to do?" he finally asked.

"This," Ronon said, and kissed him.

Rodney was surprised despite all the warnings Ronon had given him, and a muffled cry escaped him before he could stop it. Then he seized Ronon's arms and clutched him tightly, kissing him back as best he could. He folded his arms around Ronon and held him, embraced him, Ronon smelled like home, like Atlantis, not like Earth at all, and Rodney realized he was homesick half to death. Kissing Ronon, sucking on his tongue, being held by him so powerfully, knowing that John Sheppard had sent Ronon to do this, was like stepping through his own private stargate, with all that power his to command.

"I like that assignment," Rodney murmured when they broke away.

Ronon smiled at him, touching his face, tracing a line with his forefinger down Rodney's cheek. "That's why I asked him for it."

  


* * *

The picture for the challenge thingy

  


* * *

[Livia Penn](http://liviapenn.livejournal.com) created a beautiful cover for this story:

  



End file.
